Focus Lab, LLC

We build identities and experiences to elevate and empower organizations.

Culture at

Focus Lab, LLC

You can build a good team with people who are good at their respective crafts. But a great team goes beyond that and has a shared sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing, the standards and principles from which the work is done, and the way they treat one another along the way. We want to be a great team in that respect.

We believe you should demand more from the tools you use all around the office. That’s why we’re building a world where technology is seamlessly woven throughout the workplace—where smart tools lessen your workload and brighten your day.

Our values

Core Standard: Make it Better

There’s always room for improvement. This value remains continuous in our thoughts — a defined intention across all touchpoints of our organization. The carrot that drives our decision-making and, ultimately, our end product, this objective also waxes personal, stoking our internal flames. Because each one of us accepted the open-ended challenge to keep climbing the ladder to greatness.

Example:

Beauty

Beauty permeates everything we do. From visual design to communication, writing code, etc. We take pride in our variety of trades, and we succeed not by volume, but the craftsmanship of the work we do and solutions we propose. Focus Lab team members live for craftsmanship, not diluted efforts to produce “more.”

Example:

People

Above all, Focus Lab values people. (That’s why it’s our first value.) When push comes to shove, we make decisions in people's best interests over financial gains and other business metrics. We have people-focused benefits, but it goes much deeper than that. From the core of everything we do, we enforce our standard of working to live. Never the opposite. Focus Lab team members can expect this value from the entire organization, not just leadership — and it is each team member's job to uphold this value with each other.

Example:

Core Standard: People Over Profits

It ain’t about the Benjamins. Relationships are our gold standard. We want to work with awesome people. Because, for us, success is measured by positive experiences, not the bottom line. As such, we strive to surround ourselves with both smart and passionate team members and clients, those who will grow our minds and hearts and not just our wallets.

Example:

Progress

We stay hungry. It’s easy to rest on your laurels when you reach new peaks, but Focus Lab is always driven. Even when we move slowly and methodically, we are always moving. Action drives progress. It’s not enough to have ideas: they must be discussed, owned, and acted on. No Focus Lab team member is intimidated to stand up for progress, much less lead the way.

Example:

Core Standard: Ask More Questions

Demand better answers. We believe that pushing the envelope helps to solidify and defend thoughts/concepts, and reshapes thinking. A strong idea or concept will withstand the stress test and will be better at the finish line for having undergone the scrutiny.

Example:

Core Standard: Craft isn’t Enough

Soft skills for the win. We are a team of people who excel in our craft, but Focus Lab is built on more than just skill-sets. Our strength is forged by a commitment to over-deliver, to exceptional client experiences, and to solid personal relationships. As such, we approach each day and each opportunity with genuine empathy, patience, openness, and passion.

Example:

Never Stop Learning

Challenge yourself. As children, we were force-fed education, but as we age, our academic interactions are less frequent. Unless you seek them out. We encourage our team to learn: to pursue their passions, listen to one another, and access new knowledge at conferences, the library, on blogs, and via other hands-on means. Oh, and to ask more questions (see Ask More Questions).

Example:

Keep it Real

People are people. And that’s how we treat them, regardless of rank or association. Everyone deserves respect, transparency, and honesty — the three pillars of our every interaction with colleagues and clients. Bonus: work, and life in general, will become easier and more productive.

Example:

Quality Over Quantity

Less is more. Mental energy is a depletable bandwidth, so we concentrate our time and talent on fewer projects/clients. A greater investment on our part, but we’re not running a creative services mill. What we do takes genuine curiosity and enthusiasm: often the first things to go when you’re tapped out. Plus, prioritizing quality over quantity supports our other core values (see People Over Profits, Work to Live, Keep It Simple, etc.).

Example:

Keep it Simple

Because it is simple. Our practices and solutions are simple, because simple = clear = understandable and executable. We apply this concept to every aspect of the business, from our office space to the services we offer. We also subscribe to the strength of simplicity when we design, write, and write code.

Life comes first. Work is only one piece in the personal pie chart of life, and we aim to keep it that way. Since we are only as strong as our people, we encourage each other to work hard, play hard, and rest hard. Whenever possible, we help cultivate their passions. And we consider their interests and strengths when we take on jobs. After all, if you love what you do it’s never really work.